I know I don't feel dressed without my handbag (my DH wonders why I have to have it every time we step out, but I do). My mom was the same way. As I get older, it's even more essential that I have it on my arm or nearby.

As to Ipods, well, there are times when one wants to listen to music or podcasts or lessons or news privately. The Queen seems to have so little time to experience her own moods and inner life (for me, that's what music is about). One does not always wish to share one's moods with the chauffeur, the guards, etc - one may wish to block them out and use the Ipod as a noise canceling feature (I know I would; I've just started using one myself, and more and more, it serves that purpose - it's lovely).

I love that she carries the little trinkets in her purse, too. Her handbag seems to serve many functions, it centers her, contains small essentials for her person (as if anyone would want to have to ask someone else to hand them their lipstick!), and the signaling she does with it is fascinating. I think many people in public life (my job involves far too much public contact, actually) develop these signals, and those who know us well know these signals, it happens naturally but easily becomes a code.

My daughter uses one of those hook things as well, as she is somewhat germophobic (I'm getting there too), and so obviously, the Queen's placing of her bag on the floor is a sign that she's really had it with that engagement (and must be immediately rescued or else!) When I was younger, I thought gloves were a mere fashion statement or affectation, now I see their immense value if people actually want to touch one's hand.

She's one really well-prepared and put together lady. I do wish she'd expand her choice of handbags (but otoh, I've settled in on a couple of styles myself, and find it very difficult to change, and it would hardly be fitting to see Queen Elizabeth II with the latest Marc Jacobs or Fendi bag - can you imagine her with a spybag???)

This story was making the rounds in the past (not sure how much of it was true).

Who doesn't like to have a little fun and games with their grandparent, in an attempt to loosen them up? Britain's young royals sure do, and they knew the perfect formula to have a good laugh with Her Majesty.
Princes William and Harry played a prank on their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, by recording her voicemail to say "wassup!"
The royal brothers thought it would be funny to record the answering machine joke when the queen asked for help setting up her the voicemail on her cell phone.
The recorded message said, "This is Liz. Sorry I'm away from the throne. For a hotline to Philip, press one. For Charles, press two. And for the corgis, press three."

For years the question of whether or not the Queen carries cash in her handbag has been debated and deliberated.
And after much speculation it has finally been revealed that alongside her must-have lippy and compact mirror she does carry a 'precisely' folded £5 or £10 note - but only to donate to the church on Sundays.

That is according to royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith, who has revealed the secrets inside Her Majesty's bag in her new book, Elizabeth the Queen: The Woman Behind The Throne. Speaking to The Lady magazine the author said the monarch's handbag usually contains every day items like reading glasses, a fountain pen and mint lozenges.

It was revealed she is also known to carry a portable hook to hang her bag discretely under tables.Jean Willis, one of the Queen's cousins is quoted in the magazine as saying 'I watched the Queen open her handbag and remove a white suction cup and discretely spit into it.'The Queen then attached the cup to the underside of the of the table. The cup had a hook on it, and she attached her handbag to it.'

But according to Mrs Bedell Smith the most important items in her bag are a small mirror and lipstick, which she is said to apply even when sat at the dinner table. She writes 'At the end of a luncheon or a dinner, even a banquet set with silver gilt and antique porcelain, she has the somewhat outre habit of opening her bag, pulling out a compact and reapplying her lipstick.'

I have always found it mildly amusing that she lives in a palace so big she carries a purse with her from room to room when she is at home. Or was that just a figment of Hollywood imagination? The phone message prank was hilarious. I wish I could appologize to her on behalf of most of my fellow Americans for the ignorant behaviour of our President when he visits England. Most of us would have better sense than to gift her with an ipod with speeches on it.

One more thought, those hooks have been available for sale in this country for years now. They prevent the problem of what to do with your nice expensive purse when you don't want to put it on the filthy floor.

Well she works as well as lives in the palace, and it would be unprofessional to walk back to her living quarters between meetings to freshen up her lipstick. And having a footman or whatever go fetch it to her would be... gauche. If you forget on accident once, that's fine, but to send off for your lipstick multiple times a day would be a fast track to a bad rep. Particularly when the solution is as easy as 'take your purse with you to the business suite.'

President Obama did not give the Queen a gift of an iPod with his speeches. The Queen, however, did give him a gift of a picture of herself!

Barack Obama's gift for the Queen: an iPod, your Majesty – Telegraph Blogs
Barack Obama met the Queen at Buckingham Palace today and gave her a gift of an iPodloaded with video footage and photographs of her 2007 United States visit to Richmond, Jamestown and Williamsburg in Virginia. In return, the Queen gave the President a silver framed signed photograph of herself and the Duke of Edinburgh – apparently a standard present for visiting dignitaries.
It is believed the Queen already has an iPod, a 6GB silver Mini version she is said to have bought in 2005 at the suggestion of Prince Andrew.
UPDATE: Pool reporter Richard Wolf of USA Today says that an Obama aide told him the President also gave the Queen a "rare songbook signed by Richard Rodgers". END UPDATE